Malawi Parliament meets on Monday, 4 bills on table

Parliament is expected to start meeting next week Monday with government lining-up four outstanding bills to be tabled during a three-week assembly.

Leader of government in Parliament, Henry Dama Phoya told the local media that the Business Committee has set up four bills for the august House to scrutinize they are approved into laws.

Phoya said among the bills is the Constitutional Amendment bill, which, if endorsed, will allow the country to hold the controversial tripartite elections in 2014.

“I can inform the nation that after the Business Committee met on Tuesday has agreed that the next session of Parliament should convene next week for about three weeks. We have aligned four outstanding bills and these include the Companies bill And Business Licensing bill,” Phoya said.

Phoya: Four bills

Phoya who is also minister of Lands and Hosing explained that the Parliamentarians will also table the Loan Authorization bill which will give government a go-ahead to borrow funds from Arab Bank for development projects.

“The bills side, here will be other issues to be tabled like the ministerial statements on Recovery Plan and from minister of Agriculture. On Communications Act, government is very committed to have the bill tabled and turn into law,” he added.

Meanwhile one of the opposition parties, Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) has said will push and support the approval of the Constitutional Amendment Bill to ensure that the country holds tripartite elections come 2014.

DPP’s Treasure General and the party’s Leader in Parliament, Dr. George Chaponda said the party supports the need to have tripartite elections and that it has already consulted widely on the issue.

“We went around getting people’s views and our findings will be submitted in Parliament in the coming meeting. DPP champions the idea of having tripartite elections just like any grouping that is in support of this notion,” Chaponda said.

There have been calls for President Joyce Banda’s administration to hold tripartite elections in 2014 despite government’s argument that it has no money for such elections.